In-Car Dynomometers

[Brian Lane]

  For anyone interested in in-car dynos you should check out the January 
1990 issue of Hot Rod Magazine (you do have years of back issues, don't 
you?).

  The article in there details the Banks Intertial Dynomometer. Due to 
various things, it was never released. It is a drag-horsepower dyno, 
giving you the real amount of HP your vehicle produces after factoring in 
frictional and air drag.

  The device is covered by a patent (4,603,582). There is a product on 
the market, but I can't remember the company that is producing it. It is 
out of Seattle, Wa, and is called Dyno-something-or-other.

  The prototype I have is 0-200MPH, 0-1000HP, and works well on my dinkly 
little 80HP 2.5l S-10 engine. I've also seen it in action in a 350HP 
Banks turbocharged Camaro.

  These dynos are different than the car-computers like the VC200. The 
VC200 measures time and distance I believe and do all of the calculations 
after the fact. With the inertial dyno you get realtime horsepower!

  If anyone is interested, I'll try to get the name and address of the 
company who is currently producing the dynos.

  Or, if you have an accurate enough accelerometer, you could probably 
figure out how to roll your own (1/100 of a G would probably work, 1/1000 
of a G acceleration accuracy is probably best).

   Brian

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